OpenTelemetry eBPF Profiler

Spec sheet

Purpose

It is a whole-system, cross-language profiler for Linux that uses eBPF.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com

License

The project is licensed under Apache License 2.0, and its eBPF source code is licensed under GPL 2.0.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com

Architecture

The project supports amd64 and arm64 builds, and says macOS and Windows users need a Linux VM to build and run the agent.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com

Architecture support

The project supports ARM64 unwinders and says its provided build targets support amd64 and arm64.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com

Backend integration

The README names Pyroscope as an open-source database that natively supports ingesting OpenTelemetry profiling data.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com

Backends

The README names Pyroscope as an open-source database that natively supports ingesting OpenTelemetry profiling data, and says mature production-ready backends have yet to emerge.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com

Collector integration

The project says its profiler is integrated into the OpenTelemetry Collector as a receiver and identifies that configuration as the supported path going forward.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com

Community and support

The project invites bug reports, feature requests, documentation improvements, and code contributions, and directs discussion to the #otel-profiles channel on CNCF Slack.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com

Development backend limitation

The README says devfiler is for testing, experimentation and development, and should not be used as a production backend.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com

Development binaries

The standalone agent and local Collector receiver binaries are described as unsupported, subject to removal, and unsuitable for production deployment.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com

Languages

It supports native code including C/C++, Rust, Zig and Go, as well as Hotspot JVM, Python, Ruby, PHP, Node.js, V8, Perl, Erlang and .NET.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com

Linux requirement

The profiler is Linux-only; recent commits may require Linux kernel 5.10 or later, while earlier commits supported 5.4 or 4.19.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com

Low overhead

The project says its tested upper limits are 1% CPU and 250 MB of memory, and that the agent typically stays well below those limits.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com

No in-process agent

Profiling does not require loading agents or libraries into the processes being profiled.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com

No runtime changes

The agent supports unwinding supported languages in their default configuration without reconfiguration, instrumentation or interpreter or VM restarts.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com

Non-intrusive profiling

The profiler does not need to load agents or libraries into profiled processes or require interpreter and VM reconfiguration, instrumentation, or restarts.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com

OpenTelemetry integration

The profiler is integrated into the OpenTelemetry Collector as a receiver, which the project identifies as the supported configuration going forward.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com

Profile format

It implements the Alpha OpenTelemetry Profiles signal.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com

Profiling signal status

The agent has a functional but work-in-progress, evolving implementation of the recently released Alpha OpenTelemetry Profiles signal.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com

Security reporting

The security policy asks reporters not to use public GitHub issues and recommends the repository’s private vulnerability reporting channel.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com

Stack traces

It supports mixed stack traces from kernel space through system libraries into high-level languages, and native inline frames.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com

Standalone binary limitation

The standalone profiling agent and local profiling-receiver binaries are described as unsupported, potentially removable, and unsuitable for production deployment.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com

Support and community

The project says it is developed by the OpenTelemetry Profiling SIG and directs questions and discussion to the #otel-profiles channel on CNCF Slack.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com

System requirements

The profiler is Linux-only; later commits may require Linux kernel 5.10 or newer, while earlier commits supported kernels down to 5.4 or 4.19.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com

Where Specifiction places it

• Continuous Profiling Tools#22 of 307.1